True Romance was re-released in the UK last month, and when a film is re-released, it gets re-rated by the BBFC. Often it will retain its original rating, but with modern sensibilities, it's not unusual for the rating to change (it usually goes down). However, in the case of True Romance, which was given an 18 when it first came out over here in 1994, it retained its 18 certificate, for many reasons, the chief one being strong bloody violence. Which is, as you can tell, is completely different from that pictured on the DVD.
However, you don't have to be a BBFC obsessive like me to smell fish. As I've previously mentioned on here in my lengthy analysis's of why movies get certified what, films these days have to be pretty hardcore to get an 18 certificate. So the consumer information for an 18 just would not contain the word 'moderate' anywhere. So not only is the photographed DVD a pirate, but a bad pirate.
And it's all thanks to my obsession with film certifications that I spotted it!
As a self confessed BBFC fan myself, I really like your blog. :)
ReplyDeleteThis DVD isn't actually a pirate copy, they just made an error during the cover assembling. Another interesting case, 'The Good, the Bad & the Ugly' is rated 18 (now a 15) and the Blu-ray boxset has the consumer advise "Contains moderate violence" despite the other two films in the trilogy being rated 15 and containing 'strong violence'. Odd.
And of course the PS3 game 'Singularity' being an 18 but the BBFC still mentioned infrequent strong language.
http://www.mobygames.com/images/covers/l/215549-singularity-playstation-3-back-cover.jpg
Also check this one out, I think this needs it's own article...
https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/710u0w-OLIL._SL1062_.jpg
Hi James, thanks so much for the detailed and informative message! I get so happy when someone leaves a comment on my blog, haha, and it's always a delight to meet fellow BBFC nerds (we're a rare breed, but their decisions are so interesting!)
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for the links too, never thought I'd see short insight for an 18 flagging infrequent mild sex references!!
Haha, always a pleasure to meet another BBFC fan.
ReplyDeleteLove live overly descriptive BBFC consumer advise! :)